Long ago in a far away ocean, a beautiful island rose high above the sapphire waters. The sands of the beaches were as white as the snow on the highest mountains and the deep forests crawled with every type of animal and insect imaginable. But these were not creatures that live in human memory, for almost all of them are now gone…

You and your class begin learning about forgotten lands and disappearing environments. But the discovery of an old board game set on a lost island begins an all too real journey into a vanishing land. The game unlocks a portal to the lost island: only the students can save it before it disappears forever…

Project aims

This project engages students with local geography and the environment while encouraging collaboration, imagination and empathy as well as increasing standards in oracy and writing. 

Students will:

• Play a collaborative game together
• Explore their local environment to gain knowledge of its natural resources
• Write stories
• Collect samples of flora and fauna on a site visit of your choice

At the end, the students receive a token that will allow the legacy of this project to grow long into their futures.

Who is it for?

The Vanishing Land is suitable for Year 5 or 6. The delivery of the project will involve one year group and their teachers.

Resources

• A 1 day CPD to immerse teachers in Punchdrunk Enrichment practice and to share advice and tips on how to best deliver the project
• A toolkit of handmade props, maps and materials for simple design installations that bring the lost island to life in your school
• A detailed teacher resource pack 
• These materials can be used to repeat the project for future year groups 

How can I get involved?

Arts Organisations

We’re also keen to hear from you if you’re an arts organisation working with primary schools regionally across the UK and would like to bring The Vanishing Land to schools in your area. Please email [email protected] for more information.

Partnership Opportunities

We’re working with the following partners to deliver The Vanishing Land to schools across the UK. Check to see if we’re in your area:

• Royal Opera House (Thurrock, UK). Delivery in Spring 2022 to Thurrock schools. More information on their website. 
• Imaginate (Edinburgh, UK).
• Coventry City of Culture (Coventry, UK)